Parliamentary Passholders

Lord Jacobs: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	How many passes to Parliament are in issue; and how many are unaccounted for.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: There are currently just under 14,000 passes in issue for the Parliamentary Estate. This year to the end of November, 56 passes have been reported missing or not returned to the Pass Office when no longer required. All such passes are cancelled and cannot be used to open doors using the card readers. Steps are also taken to ensure the return of expired passes, and new passes are not issued to sponsors until passes that are no longer required are recovered and returned.

Iraq: Civilian Casualties in Fallujah

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate of the number of Iraqi civilians killed or injured during the recent military operation in Fallujah.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: There are no reliable estimates of the number of Iraqi civilians killed and injured in Fallujah. The Iraqi Ministry of Health plans to assess the situation when conditions allow and may, in due course, be able to provide this information.

Rwandan Nationals: Removal from Britain

Lord Dholakia: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the British Consulate in Rwanda is aware of the treatment received by Mr Boniface who was removed from Britain to Rwanda on 28 August.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Her Majesty's Government, including the British Embassy in Rwanda, are not aware of any problems encountered by Rwandan nationals removed from Britain to Rwanda on 28 August 2004.

Minors with Indian Nationality

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 16 November (WA 134) on minors with Indian nationality, whether the Note Verbale (T432/3/2003) of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to the British High Commission, New Delhi, makes any reference to separate treatment of adults and minors who acquire a foreign nationality; and whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the Note Verbale.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Note Verbale does not make a distinction between minors and adults.
	As the Note originated from another government, we are seeking permission to place a copy in the Library of the House.

Sultanate of Oman: Embassy Members with British Citizenship

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any members of the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman who enjoy the privileges and immunities conferred by their inclusion on the London diplomatic list also hold British citizenship; and whether they are satisfied that any such persons comply with their duty not to interfere with the internal affairs of the state to which they are accredited.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not been notified that any member of the present diplomatic staff of the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman holds British citizenship.

Ukraine

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are discussing with the Russian Federation interventions by senior Russians in the recent Ukrainian elections.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We have been in regular contact with the Russian Government over the situation in Ukraine. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Ukraine with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on 23 November. The developments in Ukraine were also discussed in depth with President Putin at the EU-Russia Summit on 25 November. There have also been a number of discussions at official level.

Ukraine

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will seek to establish common positions between the United States and the European Union as regards upholding democratic values and practices in the Ukraine.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: We are closely co-ordinating our position with EU colleagues to have maximum effect. We strongly support the efforts of High Representative Solana and President Kwasniewski of Poland to broker a solution to the crisis and are in regular contact with them, the Dutch Presidency and other EU partners. The EU and the United States have common goals with respect to Ukraine and are in regular contact at all levels to ensure a co-ordinated approach.

EU Guide

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 16 November (WA 135):
	(a) whether they intend to spend more money on their Guide to the European Union;
	(b) at which events and venues, and in particular to which educational establishments, they will be distributing the guide; and
	(c) whether, in pursuit of their declared intention to encourage national debate about the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union, they will send a publication to the same recipients about the disadvantages of that membership.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is currently assessing demand for the Guide to the EU, before deciding on future expenditure.
	The EU Guide will be distributed at a range of events over the coming months, including seminars and conferences arranged by interested organisations, as well as during my honourable friend the Europe Minister's programme of visits around the UK. The Department for Education and Skills has advertised the availability of the EU Guide through Teachernet resources (www.teachernet.gov.uk) and in a monthly newsletter which goes out from the department. This means that all head teachers will be made aware of the publication and can order copies if they want.
	The EU Guide is a factual account of the costs and obligations, as well as the benefits of EU membership. Therefore, we will not be sending a separate publication to the same recipients dealing exclusively with "the disadvantages of that membership", as the noble Lord suggests.

Serbia and Montenegro: ICTY Assessment

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether it is their view that, following the address by Carla del Ponte, prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to the United Nations Security Council on 23 November, Serbia and Montenegro are fulfilling their obligation towards the tribunal.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Government have noted the serious concerns about Serbia and Montenegro's (SaM) co-operation raised by the ICTY Chief Prosecutor in her recent report to the United Nations Security Council. We fully support the Chief Prosecutor's assessment. Prime Minister Kostunica has made it clear that he is not willing to arrest fugitives, and will only try to convince them to surrender voluntarily.
	The UK continues to urge SaM to fulfil all her international obligations especially full co-operation with ICTY. Failure to do so will continue to delay SaM's progress towards closer integration in Euro-Atlantic structures.

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their contribution to the provision of adequate resources that is necessary for the full and satisfactory functioning of the International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The regular budget of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is financed through assessed contributions, in line with an agreed UN scale, from all members of the United Nations. The UK contribution in 2004 was some £5.8 million. We are aware that the satisfactory functioning of the ICTY relies on all states making their contribution in a full and timely manner and we continue to encourage partners to do so.
	The UK has also made voluntary contributions to assist the ICTY's work. These include Witness Protection, Outreach and various projects which allow for the domestic prosecution of war crimes cases.
	The UK also supports the ICTY by providing documentary and eye-witness material.

Household Projections

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the latest projections for additional households each year in England; over what period forecasts have been made; and how this compares with the previous Projections of Households in England in 2021, published in 2000.

Lord Rooker: The 2002-based interim household projections are the Government's latest projections and have updated the 1996-based household projections.
	The 2002-based Interim Household Projections show that 189,000 additional households are projected to form annually between 2001 and 2021 in England. This projection assumes recent population trends continue and trends in household formation remain as estimated for the 1996-based household projections. They do not take account of future housing supply.
	The 1996-based Household Projections showed that 150,000 dwellings were projected to form annually in the same time period.

Household Projections

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many additional households in England each year can be attributed to the projected levels of net international migration in current and previous projections.

Lord Rooker: It is estimated that, in the 2002-based interim household projections for England, about 59,000 additional households per year are attributable to net international migration out of a total of 189,000 additional households per year between 2001 and 2021.
	It was estimated that, in the 1996-based household projections for England, about 38,000 additional households per year would have been attributable to net international migration out of a total of 150,000 additional households per year between 2001 and 2021.

Archive Services

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What support is given by central government to ensure that a complete network of adequately resourced local records centres is available across England and Wales in addition to any local authority settlement.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The network of local archive service services that have been approved as places of deposit for public records by The National Archives extends throughout England and Wales. Experienced TNA staff periodically visit local archive services in order to check that nationally agreed standards are being maintained. Since 1997 TNA has part-funded an advisory service that has assisted local authorities to obtain grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other grant-awarding bodies for new archive buildings and improved access facilities.

Archive Services

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the level of support given by central government to ensure a complete network of adequately resourced local records centres has changed since the extra requirements for information arising from various relevant European Union directives have come into force, and if so, by what percentage.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Compliance with all new information legislation crucially depends on public authorities' ability to manage their record effectively. The National Archives (TNA) has provided a wide range of guidance to local authorities on records management to help them to meet their obligations under new legislation. In 2003 it formed a new Records Management Advisory Service with the specific remit of promoting better records management throughout the public sector, especially in local government. Since this work is essentially advisory and qualitative, it is not possible to express TNA's increased activity in terms of a single percentage figure.

Northern Ireland: Judicial Reviews

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will keep records of the annual numbers, outcomes and costs of judicial reviews taken in respect of public authorities in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Northern Ireland Court Service maintains a central register of judicial reviews recording the number of applications for leave to apply for judicial review.
	The Court Service is currently developing its systems to enable the outcome of cases to be held on the register.
	The costs associated with judicial reviews are a matter for the parties concerned and are not recorded centrally.

Pensioner Benefits

Baroness Greengross: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the estimated cost in 2004–05 of (a) the winter fuel payment; (b) free TV licences to those aged over 75; (c) the age-related payment to help meet council tax bills; (d) the pension credit for savings; and (e) the pension credit for income; and whether they will estimate by how much the basic full state pension would have increased on a weekly and annual basis if this sum had been spent on state pensions.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information is provided in the table below:
	
		
			  £ millions 
			 (a) Winter fuel payment 1,957 
			 (b) Free TV licences to those aged over 75 412 
			 (c) The age related payment to help meet council tax 
			 bills 
			  502 
			 (d)   Pension Credit—Savings Credit 923 
			 (e)   Pension Credit—Guarantee Credit 4,807 
			 Total 8,601 
		
	
	Source: 2004 DWP forecasts.
	It is estimated that if the total amount was spent on the basic state pension the weekly basic state pension would increase by £17.15 and the annual basic state pension would increase by £892. However, it is estimated that over 1.6 million pensioner benefit households who are currently on pension credit would lose out, as the reduction in their pension credit entitlement is worth more than the gain from the increase in the basic State Pension.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for GB in 2004–05 price terms, rounded to the nearest £1 million. Based on DWP forecasts for the 2004 Budget.
	2. Figures do not include reductions in expenditure on other income-related benefits or changes in tax revenue.

Rural Strategy 2004: RDA Single Programme

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether sponsor departments other than the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will contribute to the "RDA single Pot" as set out in the Rural Strategy 2004; if so, how much will come from each department and when; and whether such contributions are included in the spending figures of £72 million in 2005–06, £73 million in 2006–07 and £74 million in 2007–08.

Lord Whitty: Six government departments contribute to the RDA Single Programme (the "Single Pot"). Responsibility for sponsorship of the RDAs rests with DTI.
	Following the Spending Review 2004 the planned contributions are:
	
		£ million
		
			  2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 
			 Trade and Industry 234 463 476 483 
			 Office of Deputy Prime Minister 1,511 1,568 1,633 1,676 
			 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 46 72 73 74 
			 Education and Skills 42 43 44 45 
			 UKTI 13 13 13 13 
			 Culture, Media and Sport 2 6 6 6 
			 Totals 1 1,847 2,163 2,244 2,297 
		
	
	1 Totals do not sum due to rounding
	Source:—HM Treasury—July 2004
	Defra's baseline contribution (rising to £50.5 million in 2005–06) is to be increased by £21.3 million from 2005. This increase is in recognition of the larger role RDAs will play in delivering Defra policies, as detailed in the Rural Strategy 2004.

Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies: Boundary Commission Report

The Duke of Montrose: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will implement the report of the Boundary Review Commission in Scotland.

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland received from the Boundary Commission for Scotland on 30 November its fifth periodical report on parliamentary constituency boundaries in Scotland. On that day he announced that, once he had considered the commission's recommendations, which he expected to do shortly, he would lay the report, together with a draft Order in Council giving effect to its recommendations, before Parliament and that assuming the approval of both Houses, it was hoped it would be in force in February 2005.

Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies: Boundary Commission Report

Lord Monson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the number of Scottish constituencies represented in the House of Commons will be reduced from 72 to 59 by 1 January 2006; and, if not, by what month and year the reduction stipulated in Section 86 of the Scotland Act 1998 will be finalised.

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Scotland received from the Boundary Commission for Scotland on 30 November its fifth periodical report on parliamentary constituency boundaries in Scotland, the recommendations in which would reduce the number of Scottish constituencies from 72 to 59. On that day he announced that, under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, once he had considered the commission's recommendations, which he expected to do shortly, he would lay the report, together with a draft Order in Council giving effect to its recommendations, before Parliament.
	Assuming that the order gets the approval of both Houses, it is hoped that it will be in force in February 2005.